Key result
Zinc demonstrates potential as a safe and economical antiviral therapy against Hepatitis E virus by inhibiting viral replication, though clinical efficacy remains to be established.
Why the study?
Does zinc inhibit viral replication in Hepatitis E virus infection?
Does zinc inhibit viral replication in Hepatitis E virus infection?
Zinc may serve as a safe and economical antiviral therapy option for Hepatitis E virus infection by inhibiting viral replication.
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major cause of viral hepatitis worldwide. Owing to its feco oral transmission route, sporadic as well as epidemic outbreaks recurrently occur. No specific antiviral therapy is available against the disease caused by HEV. Broad spectrum antivirals such as ribavirin and interferon alfa are prescribed in severe and chronic HEV cases. However, the side effects, cost, and limitations of usage render the available treatment unsuitable for several categories of patients. We recently reported the ability of zinc to inhibit viral replication in mammalian cell culture models of HEV infection. Zinc will be a safe and economical antiviral therapy option if it inhibits HEV replication during the natural course of infection. This essay discusses the putative mechanism(s) by which zinc inhibits HEV replication and provides an overview of the possible therapeutic potential of zinc in HEV patients.
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Kaushik et al. (2018) conducted a review in Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) Infection. Zinc was evaluated. Zinc demonstrates potential as a safe and economical antiviral therapy against Hepatitis E virus by inhibiting viral replication, though clinical efficacy remains to be established.
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